


On The Other Side

by JennySmithInTARDIS



Series: Love Born From Fire Dies In Ice [3]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Heart-to-Heart, Heartbreak, Imaginary Friends, Lost Love, Mental Anguish, Pete's World, Pining, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Post-Episode: s02e13 Doomsday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 04:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6409510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennySmithInTARDIS/pseuds/JennySmithInTARDIS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been two months since Bad Wolf Bay and this is Rose Tyler's life now. A life without the Doctor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As always, a massive thank you to my wonderful beta, cloakoflife!

This was her life now. It had been two months since Bad Wolf Bay and Rose Tyler was moving on. Heartbroken, but coping and moving on all the same. She had a routine now. She didn’t gallivant about the place; hopping here, there and everywhere with the man she loved. She couldn't, not anymore. Now it was time for her to grow up. She was no longer the 19-year-old girl the Doctor had found, but instead a woman. Rose had grown up, something her Doctor would never have recommended. 

Rose woke up every morning and went to work at her grown-up job, in a mature, adult establishment. After work, she would go to her parents house for dinner. She didn't live with them anymore because she wasn't a child and everyone leaves home in the end. Her flat wasn’t quite home, but it was something. One thing it definitely wasn't, was bigger-on-the-inside. 

Rose Tyler’s flat was not a happy place. She had just come home from Jackie and Pete’s after a meal of curry and chips. She chucked her keys onto the small sideboard that was by the front door. She sulked into the living room and threw herself onto the sofa, so that she was lying down with her head buried in the cushions. This is where she broke down. All the time. As soon as she got home she would allow herself to think back, to hurt, to cry, to scream. She would get angry and sad over, and over again before finally landing on happy. Happiness for her was having her mind wander and drift. She would often imagine what he was up to at that moment. She would rewrite history in her mind, pretend that he was still there beside her, holding her hand. Sometimes Rose would even go as far as to have conversations with him, the imaginary man that she once knew. In those conversations, he made what was left unsaid on Bad Wolf Bay perfectly clear and whispered “I love you” every night before she fell asleep. 

Of course, there were things that set one day apart from the next, putting little breaks in her life. Sometimes she would have drinks with her friends, which were pretty much just Mickey and Jake. She found a few new hobbies, like painting and drawing. Then there were midwives appointments with Jackie and Pete. She was going to be a big sister for the first time and as much as she was looking forward to it, it also upset her. It reminded her of how different and new everything in this universe was. Rose and Jackie often took little days out to explore their new surroundings, discovering what was different in this universe and what stayed the same. Rose ventured further from home than Jackie ever did, sometimes she’d cross to the other side of the world for Torchwood, other times she just needed personal time to get away and think. Jackie stuck to London, she had promised a big family holiday abroad but that would have to wait until the baby was born. 

Rose’s favourite thing about Pete’s world were the people there that she had known, before it became her permanent residence, and how happy they all were. Especially Jackie. Rose could finally see that her mother was over-the-moon. She was no longer waiting around for Rose. She could live her own life with the man she loved and have a fresh start. It gave Rose hope that one day life would be as kind to her. 

Jackie had never had much money. Her parents weren’t well-to-do and she moved straight into a council flat with Pete when they started their family. Now here she was. More money than she knew what to do with, mansions, holiday homes and staff. It was different. Jackie had told Rose she didn’t know if it was good or bad, it was just different. She was then confused as to why her daughter had broken down in tears. 

Yes, money was useful but Jackie didn't want to change who she was. She never did. She still wore tracksuits and loved her family more than anything in the universe. Jackie Tyler was kind, sweet, feisty and still had one hell of a slap; as Pete had found out on a fair few occasions throughout her pregnancy. 

Pete was thrilled to become a ‘double-dad’ as he had put it. He had gained a daughter and created a life with Jackie in such a short period of time that he often bragged about how he must have broken some kind of record. He and Rose got on like a house on fire. It was different to how Rose felt about her father that died when she was a baby. She thought that this Pete (Pete 2.0 she jokingly nicknamed him. He didn’t like it much.) was more like a stepdad, one of her mum’s boyfriends that just looked freakily like her real father. They were close, considering, and loved each other as a family. Yet it still wasn’t the same. He hadn't raised her and he was a high powered business man. Jackie insisted they were the same but Rose knew he was just a gingerbread man. 

Pete often tried to make up for lost time, which Jackie and Rose both appreciated immensely. For a start, He drove Rose, as well as the rest of the family, all the way to Norway because of a dream. He gave her a job, bought her a flat and was always planning fun family evenings. It was a proper family, which none of them had ever had and were grateful they could be a part of now. Picnics every Sunday, board games on Saturday mornings and a roast dinner on a Wednesday evening. Pete 2.0 was the best husband and father that he could be, just as Rose always knew her real dad would have been. 

Mickey and Jake were brilliant. Although they’d never said it out loud and threw endless banter at one another, they were quite clearly best friends. Any awkwardness that there once was between Mickey and Rose evaporated, ever since he had heard her scream “take me back”. In that moment she was no longer the girl that broke his heart, she was his childhood friend and she was in pain. She needed him more than ever back then and still did. He followed her around to keep a watchful eye. Jake very much reminded Rose of Captain Jack. Every now and then she would call him Jack by mistake before dismissing herself from the room to wipe away the tears that gathered in her eyes.

This was Rose’s life now. It was far from perfect, but it was hers. Eventually, she laughed and found it was okay, it was allowed. The Doctor wouldn’t want her to be miserable forever, as long as she remembered him. How could she ever forget? So Rose kept her promise, from a long time ago. She would do this for him, she would have a fantastic life, even if it took her a while to get there.


	2. Chapter 2

At 7pm Rose, Mickey and Jake clambered out of Jake’s SUV and raced to the door of the Tyler mansion. Pete let them in with the biggest grin they had ever seen on his face. Jackie had already gotten the tea's ready for everyone as they all sat around the large kitchen table, waiting for the news. 

 

“So, come on then Jacks, are me and Jakey gonna be teachin’ bump footie or is Rose gonna be takin’ her dress shoppin’?” Mickey asked over his cup of steaming tea. 

 

Jackie looked at Pete, who was stood next to her with an arm wrapped around the back of her stool. “Go on love, you tell ‘em. I got to tell everyone I was pregnant.” 

 

Pete walked over to Rose and put his hands on her shoulders. “Rose is going to be doing a lot of shopping for her gorgeous little sister, I’m sure.” 

 

“Ayyyyyyy!” Jake called out, as he insisted everyone clink cups with him in cheers. 

  
Rose cried out of happiness for the first time since arriving in Pete’s world. Another little girl, none of them could wait. Pete made them all pasta before they played a far -too competitive game of monopoly.

 

 

They had planned on celebrating with champagne, but when Jackie had a ‘heated debate’ with Pete over him needing to sympathise and give up alcohol as well while she was pregnant, everyone else had poured theirs down the sink, too. It started with Rose as Jackie gave her a pout and rattled on about how great it must be, to be young and careless, having a drink. Then she moved to Mickey. Jackie had relentlessly pointed out how she had practically raised him. Here he was, a grown man… drinking champagne. Jake’s drink was the last to go and all it took was the raise of one of Jackie’s eyebrows and a sigh. Jackie Tyler was the queen of passive aggressiveness and they her loyal servants. 

 

 

They were halfway through watching an episode of ‘ _ chums _ ’ (it was basically this universe's version of  _ friends  _ but made in the UK) when Pete made a baby name suggestion.  

“I have a girls name I really like,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Margret.” 

Mickey and Rose shot looks at each other before protesting strongly, both shouting “No!” At the same time. 

“Absolutely not,” Rose said as she narrowed her eyes at Pete as if he were stupid.

“Nah, you don't wanna call her that!” Mickey chipped in. 

“Why not?” Jackie asked.

“Well, it’s just a bit…” Mickey started. 

“Slitheen,” Rose finished. 

It was finally agreed that Margaret was off the ‘potential-baby-names’ list as Rose and Mickey sighed out breaths of relief. They went back to their fun night in. The perfect family yet Rose couldn't help but be constantly aware that someone very important was missing. 


	3. Chapter 3

Months had passed. Everyone else had said it was like the blink of an eye. An expression thrown around a lot regarding time. Everyone else’s lives passed in such a blur, separated by Christmas and birthdays. Not Rose’s. These idiots had no idea what time passing before their eyes meant. She did. She had literally gone decades in ‘the blink of an eye’. Now, stuck on Earth, time did not accelerate in such a fashion. Her almost-year in Pete’s world had torturously dragged. It was like breathing, dying, last breaths... with a dagger in your side. That's how time passed for Rose, so slowly that she longed for it to be over while her basic human instinct fought for her life. Time was painfully slow and she longed for the day when she would be revived. She could have her life begin again, yet some sick part of her didn't want it to. She kind of liked the pain, it reminded her that he, the Doctor, was real.

 

 

Jackie’s due date was near. Pete had decided to take the weekend off work to whisk her off for one last mini getaway before baby-girl-Tyler arrived. They had finally settled on a name, Daisy. It kept within the theme already set with Rose. Daisy Morgan Tyler. 

 

 

Since her parents were away Rose had managed to rope Jake and Mickey into helping her decorate and set up a nursery. Jackie hadn’t explicitly asked them to do it but she did hint at it. 

 

::

 

Jackie and Pete had been stood at the front door, surrounded by luggage. Rose was sat on the staircase which faced the door, to see them off and wish them a safe journey. 

“If we’re away how will the nursery get done, Pete? ’S’not like anyone else can do it,” Jackie paused to look at Rose with a pout. “Although... if someone did fancy it they might get it wrong. Like, they mightn’t know I wan’ a pink and white room with yellow accessories,” another glance in her daughter's direction. “They also might not know I think the best place for the nursery is the room directly opposite ours.” Jackie sighed, loudly.  

Pete looked, over his wife's shoulders, at Rose with a knowing, sympathetic look. As he ushered Jackie out of the house he mouthed “sorry and thanks” to his sort-of-daughter before they left.

 

::

 

Rose was waiting in the empty room with paint cans sat on the floor next to her. She stood with her hands on her hips, as she looked around thinking about which walls should be what colours. She began to grow impatient waiting for the boys to turn up. As she thought about her mum being all pouty and dropping hints she realised that Jackie had changed. Not much, but still, change is change. Before, she would outright tell Rose to get her arse in gear and get to work. She’d become a lot more passive in the time they’ve been in Pete’s world. Was that because she was happy and had mellowed out a bit? A thought quickly unsettled Rose’s stomach. What if she was acting differently so as not to upset Rose? What if everyone was so afraid of how vulnerable and fragile she had become since her separation from the Doctor that they were treating her differently? She hadn't even thought of it until now and as she looked back over the past months it did seem likely. She couldn't bare it and thought she could throw up. Rose Tyler did not like people's pity. Her own family not treating her the same in a time when she already felt lost. Didn't they get it? She needed them to act as if everything was fine or else she might remember that she should be falling apart. 

Before a full-blown panic attack could ensue, Mickey and Jake came crashing up the stairs. 

“Rosie!” Jake called. 

“In here,” she shouted in response. “An’ I told ya not to call me that!” 

Jake and Mickey burst through the soon-to-be nursery door. 

“Sorry,” Jake mumbled. 

“‘S’fine.” 

“Rosie,” he laughed as Rose punched him on the shoulder. 

 

 

The room took all day. Jake and Mickey were both called out a few times for Torchwood and so were in and out a lot of the time until later in the evening. They ordered pizza and sat in the middle of the room, on the floor eating, talking and laughing. Jake threw a slice of pizza at Mickey, which missed and landed on the nice, newly painted, pink wall. Rose wasn't too thrilled. She made Jake repaint and stole some of his food as a punishment. 

 

 

As Rose told the boys to help her start packing up Mickey covered his hand in paint and smacked her arse, leaving big pink handprints on her jeans. She yelped out in surprise. 

“Oh, you are in  _ so much  _ trouble!” Rose yelled.

With that, she dipped a brush in some of the white paint and went to flick it at Mickey, who ducked, which left Jake getting splattered in the face. 

“Ew, it's in me mouth! Oh my God. Rose!” Jake shrieked. 

Jake charged toward Rose, then picked her up and slung her over his shoulders, he stuck his hand in the paint as she screamed. He then ran his paint-covered hand through her hair. 

“'S’not fair, Mickey ain’t got no paint on ‘im and I got loads!” Rose whined. 

Jake put her down onto her feet again and they silently agreed to gang up on Mickey. 

“No, no, no. Don't!” Mikey protested as Rose tackled him to the ground and straddled his waist, she pinned his hands above his head to keep him still. 

“Jus’ like old times, eh Rose?” Mickey joked with a smirk. 

“Oi, shut up!” she laughed in his face as Jake knelt beside them and started painting Mickey with the brush covered in pink. 

“Mickey, mate. You look so pretty, pink suits you. Brings out your eyes. Don't you think Rose?” 

“Oh, yeah, definitely Jake.” 

It was times like these that Rose was almost, only almost, convinced that time could heal all wounds. One day, maybe, hopefully… one day she could be whole again. 


	4. Chapter 4

Rose got home a little after 10pm. She threw her keys on the sideboard by the door and walked through the short hallway. As she rounded the corner to the kitchen to make her last cup of tea for the evening she decided to cross the day off on the calendar. She went to a junk drawer in the kitchen and retrieved a pen. When Rose got back to the calendar and  _ really _ looked at it the pen slipped from her hand. She should have known. She had been counting the days since she’d slipped through the gaps of the universe. She should have seen this coming but she didn't and now she was blind-sided and all alone. Their anniversary. A clear memory flashed before her eyes. 

 

_ “I’m left travelling on my own, ‘cause there’s no one else.”  _

 

_ “There’s me.”  _

 

Rose tried desperately to shake the image from her head before deciding that she wanted to remember. She needed to. 

 

_ “Alright then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is and you can pay.”  _

 

_ “No money,” he confessed in his northern accent.  _

 

_ “What sort of date are you?” Rose joked.  _

 

They had walked away hand-in-hand.

 

 

Another memory sprang to mind of the same man with a new face. A new everything. 

_ Her new, new Doctor in New, New York. Laid on his make-shift blanket which was actually his favourite coat. They sat amongst the apple grass and reminisced.  _

_ “So, the year 5,000,000,000, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted,” the Doctor started. _

_ “That was our first date,” she had joked with him, smiling.  _

_ “We had chips.”  _

A few tears dropped from Rose’s eyes, rolled down her cheeks and landed on the floor with silent splatters. It was their anniversary. Three Earth years since their first date. Three years since the planet had burnt and they ate chips. 

 

 

After 20 minutes or so Rose pulled herself together. She grabbed her bag and keys before she set out for a chippy open at this time of night. After getting a portion of chips she headed back to her flat to settle down for the night. She cuddled up on the sofa, wrapped in a TARDIS blue blanket and watched  _ ‘The Lion King’ _ while she ate her chips, alone. Then she washed them down with a bowl of chopped up bananas covered in jam and a cup of tea with seven sugars in it. It was far too sweet but that's how he liked it. 


	5. Chapter 5

After the nearly-missed anniversary incident, Rose found that she had started talking to herself (well the non-existent Doctor) a lot more than usual. She would have full one-sided conversations out loud and imagine his reply. It all became so real. She could see him, almost; tugging at his ear, scratching his neck. She knew, of course, that he wasn't really there. That she may just be speaking to a bookshelf or the wall, yet she imagined him so vividly sometimes that she would fool herself. It was like on Bad Wolf Bay when he appeared like a ghost. He was always there to haunt her life and mend her broken heart.

 

 

A month after, Rose’s baby brother Tony was born (The doctors had gotten it wrong, no little Daisy so Rose had to redecorate the nursery.) Rose had returned to her flat after visiting her parents. She began her venture into the empty flat as she always did now, by greeting a ghost. 

 

“I’m home, oh and I got Chinese food,” she called out into the empty hallway. She didn't really have enough for two people. Now, that would be madness. 

 

“How’d you know I was ‘ere?” The voice came from the living room and startled Rose, causing her to drop everything as she had heart palpitations and screamed.

 

Mickey came running to her, a look of utter confusion on his face. They both bent down to pick everything up, hurriedly. 

 

“Mickey, you scared me to death!” Rose yelled. 

 

Mickey apologised then took all of the food into the kitchen. Rose was left to calm her racing heart, disappointed as Mickey wasn't the man she wanted to come home to every night. 

 

 

After a few moments of Rose being stood by her door, trying to catch her breath and listening to Mickey clamber about in the kitchen, he went silent. His footsteps sounded closer as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, staring at her; his lips a straight line, eyebrows furrowed and eyes squinted. 

“You said I scared you, but you knew I was here,” he stated. 

“No, I didn’.” 

“You were talkin’, Rose. You don't talk to an empty flat tellin’ it you've brought home food… who were you talking to?” Mickey's expression softened as he walked towards his best friend.

Rose swallowed thickly, she couldn't tell him, he'd think she was nuts!  

“Are you… are you seein’ someone?” Mickey asked carefully, before continuing. “Because, Rose I think it's great that you’re movin’ on an’ all but just don't rush, okay?” 

Mickey tried to wrap his arms around Rose, yet she only pushed him away, cheeks red with embarrassment. 

 

 

Rose had shoved Mickey aside and was now sat there sulking on her sofa. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Mickey came in and crouched down in front of her. 

“Rose?” He spoke so softly it sent a pang of guilt through Rose’s chest. 

“‘M’not. Not seein’ anyone, Mickey,” Rose admitted as she kept her eyes down, away from his face. 

Rose focused on a loose piece of skin on her thumb as she picked at it.

“Then who--” 

Rose cut Mickey up short. “Doctor. I was… talk-talkin’ to the Doctor.” 

Tears began to gather in her eyes as she felt her throat close slightly.

“Oh my god!” Mickey exclaimed.

_ Here it is.  _ Thought Rose.  _ He’s going to call Pete and tell him to lock me up for going mentally insane. _

“He found a way back?” Mickey shouted excitedly.

Rose shook her head. 

“But, you can talk to him, yeah? So what he’s invented some multidimensional phone?” Mickey’s eyes widened at the thought. “Man, I knew he was good.” 

God, he was being thick. 

 

 

It took Rose ten minutes to calm Mickey down and make him understand what she was trying to say. 

“So… what you’re sayin’ is you just, like, pretend to talk to your alien boyfriend that's trapped in a different universe?” Mickey questioned. 

“’S’not my boyfriend Mickey… and ‘s’only sometimes,” Rose answered shyly.

“Rose.” 

“Yeah?” 

“That’s fucked up.”

“Mickey!” Rose shouted in frustration. Didn’t he think she  _ knew _ how weird it sounded?

“I’m sorry, but it is!” 

 

 

The rest of the night was spent with Rose trying to escape to other rooms of the flat as Mickey followed her around trying to get her to talk to him about it. A while later they were in her bedroom. Rose laid across her bed, hanging her head off the edge so that she saw the room up-side-down. Mickey sat on her chest of draws, leant against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He watched her intently, scared to leave her to her own devices. 

“Rose, I really think you should talk to someone professional about what's happened to you,” he suggested. “‘Cause this, this ain't healthy, babe.” 

“I know,” she sighed.

“You're gonna end up gettin’ yourself locked up in some mental hospital if you carry on like this.” 

“Mickey,” Rose warned.

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. I’m worried ‘bout you Rose,” Mickey jumped down from the chest of drawers he was sat on and laid on the bed next to her. 

“I know it won't make sense to you, Mickey. I know it sounds crazy but I do it so that I  _ won't _ go mad. ’S’like a reminder, yeah? I’m afraid that if I don't  _ constantly  _ reassure myself that he was real that I’ll forget, or convince myself that it was all just some dream, Mickey. I can't. I can't ever do that, I just can't.” 

A solemn silence fell upon the room. They stayed like that for a while before Rose’s head ached with the position she was in. She sat up. Mickey told her to go to the living room to wait for him to make them both a nice cup of tea. 

 

 

The kitchen door was directly opposite the living room, so that if both doors were open you could have a conversation from the two different rooms. Mickey and Rose often called through to each other when he came to see her. He’d watch the football and Rose would make tea or do the washing up. 

“It’s for the best, ya know?” Mickey began. “That it happened when it did,” he went silent again before continuing. “I know it's hard Rose, trust me I do. But, like, just imagine how much harder it would be if you two were, like, a proper couple.” 

Rose’s breath became shallow as her cheeks became hot, her palms sweaty. She felt a tingling sensation in her cheeks and chest as she often did before a panic attack. Mickey, completely unaware, carried on. 

“When you first left it was so hard, I mean I was in love with you Rose. The worst part was ‘cause we never ended it properly I didn't know where we stood. I couldn't move on, well mainly ‘cause everyone thought I murdered you, but also it felt like I was cheatin’ on you. Plus if it was too soon I would have been makin’ comparisons.  _ Oh, Rose did this different. The last person I did this with was Rose.  _ At least when you do move on,  _ you _ won't have all that.” 

Rose took a deep calming breath. “Yeah…” she called out shakily.

“I mean,” why wouldn't Mickey just shut up? “I dread to think how much worse you’d be if you two had, you know.”

“We did,” Rose was so quiet. 

“What?” Mickey asked, casually, not having heard her. 

“We had sex, Mickey. Me and the Doctor.” She felt physically sick. 

That's when she heard a smashing sound and Mickey stumbled into the living room staring at her. His eyes nearly popped out of his head and his mouth was open like a fish out of water. He quickly blinked and closed his gaping hole. He swallowed. 

“I dropped a cup.” 

 

 

Mickey and Rose sat on her sofa both staring forward, not talking. Again, Mickey was the one to break the silence. 

“Has he got a weird thing? You know… down there?” Mickey asked pointing at his crotch. 

“Jesus christ, Mickey!” 

“Sorry. I’m curious… how the hell did you get him to do that?” Mickey shouted, not in anger, just pure shock. “I mean, I know he loves you but he never seemed like he had it in ‘im.” 

“Yeah, well he did,” Rose bit at her thumbnail before continuing. “We were on this planet an’ got infected with this aphrodisiac. Couldn't help it. It was jus’ sex at that point, but then there was this other time…” Rose swallowed. “I don't wanna get into it but it was so personal and sad, but beautiful at the same time. It was… intense. An’ you're right, ‘bout makin’ comparisons and all. ‘Cause if I were to move on, I mean, I don’t want to and I don't think I could, but if I did nobody could ever even come close to what we ‘ad. So I won't move on. It was like we were one, ya know? For a split second, I saw everythin’ the way he did and our timelines were crossed. Destined to be together. Fate. Our shinin’ light. I don't think he knew that I understood what it was, but I did. 'S’like we were fixed points in hist’ry, made perfectly for each other, but somethin’ went horribly wrong. Now I’m all alone in the universe… and so’s he.” 

Rose began to sob hysterically as Mickey pulled her close and cuddled her. He rested his chin on the top of her head, shushed her and placed delicate kisses in her hair as she soaked his shirt with her tears and snot. 

 

 

Mickey had so much more he wanted, no needed, to say to his best friend. He let her fall asleep for a little while on the sofa but after an hour he woke her and walked her to her room. He sat on the edge of the bed as she tucked herself in and settled down. 

“Rose, ya know 's’not true what you said, right?” he asked her. 

“Hmm?” 

“You’re not alone and you won't ever be alone,” Mickey’s throat tightened and he begged himself not to cry. “You got me, your mum, Pete, Jake and even little Tony. You have so many people that love you, Rose. More than you know. So does he. I know you don't wanna hear this, but he did travel with other people before you, like Sarah Jane and there will be people after you. I know that’s hard for you but I know all you really want is for ‘im to be happy, so just think of it as a good thing. Neither of you are alone, ‘cause you both have friends that love you, care for you and look out for you, always. You’re gonna get through this and I'm gonna help you. You and me, like always. Just like when we were on the old estate. Just a couple of messed up kids that have each others backs, yeah? One day you’ll look back on this and it’ll all make sense and you’ll be happy again, truly happy Rose. I can't promise that you’ll meet someone else, but I can promise you that it’ll get easier. You an’ the Doctor - apart from the fact that you both go on adventures and meet aliens - will deal with this like all us normal folk. One day at a time.” 

Mickey and Rose sat in silence for a minute, Rose let the occasional tear drop onto her pillow. 

“So, tell me,” Mickey said. “Who’s the better shag, then? Me or the Doctor?” 

Rose snorted out a laugh. “’M’not even gonna dignify that with an answer.” 

Mickey giggled and wished Rose a good night's sleep as he promised to stay the night, sleeping on the sofa. Rose snuggled further down the mattress after he left the room. She had a smile on her face and for the first time since arriving in this universe, Rose felt completely at home. 


End file.
